Archive for the 'Events' Category

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Now is the winter of our discontent… or something to that effect; for these wintery days are the perfect time to sit back and ponder the depths of this year’s Games Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP) theme ‘Shakespeare Wrote Hits‘. Verily, the Game Developers’ Association of Australia (GDAA) are currently accepting session proposals for speakers from all game development disciplines for GCAP 2014.

As noted by GDAA, the topic is one with many interpretations…

There is no denying that the works of Shakespeare are, today, of profound cultural and artistic importance. That Shakespeare was a great poet is undeniable. However, as a playwright, Shakespeare’s purpose was singular – to write shows that could be performed to large crowds who would pay for the experience. Each play was crafted with the audience in mind and in doing so Shakespeare filled the seats of his theatre. Shakespeare wrote plays to make money. Shakespeare wrote hits.

GCAP 2014 explores the mix of creativity and commercialisation with an understanding that the two are not mutually exclusive. The event will focus sharply on the decision making process in all disciplines with special emphasis on the methodologies, techniques and creative choices that can and have been made or applied to ensure a game has maximum appeal to its intended audience.

For more information head to the full GDAA info page, or download a copy of the submission guide. Submissions can be provided in Word, Pages, Google Docs or email format, and must be are to be sent to:

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Over the past year Atmosphere Industries and FTI have been giving local families the chance to test out some real-world games at their Play Up Perth events. Now it’s time for the grown-ups to get out and get some serious gaming done, with the first ever Play Up Perth After Dark event. Featuring tabletop games made by local developers, this is an adults only event that allows you to enjoy the finer points of gaming over a nice cold beer or wine.

What: Playup Perth! After Dark #1When: 4pm – 9pm, Friday July 25, 2014Where: State Library of Western Australia (25 Francis Street, Perth)Tickets: Free! (Please note this is an 18+ Event)RSVP: Places are limited, so head on over to Eventbrite to RSVP

As for the games, thus far the list of playable Perth goodies includes:

Breakwater, a game about voodoo, jazz and clockwork for up to 4 players;

For more information head on over to the FTI Events page, or if you’re already keen to have a drink and play some games, you can RSVP over at Eventbrite. You can also find out all the details on the who/what/why of Play Up Perth at the official FAQ page.

And an extra note for Game Developers: If you have a game you would tested at this, or another Play Up event, please contact FTI Director of Interactive Programs, Dr. Kate Raynes-Goldie on

Curtin’s Growth Ignition Program, now in its fourth year, is an intensive one-week program for passionate people with a specific idea, improved product or service who are eager to develop their concept into a real business proposition. The upcoming information sessions will delve into the nature of the program, as well how you can apply for a fully-funded scholarships to attend.

The next Growth Ignition Program is runs from August 31st - September 5, 2014. For more details on the information session visit the Eventbrite page or, to find out more about the program itself check out their website and brochure.

((Thanks goes to Michael and Kate from FTI for alerting us to the event))

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Win a space in the Indie Showcase

At this year’s PAX Aus, the indie developers of Australia will have plenty of opportunities to connect with the ever eager gaming public. In addition to the dedicated space of the Indie Pavilion, the folks at PAX are also holding a competition to show off your games in the Indie Showcase! The showcase, a separate exhibit to the Indie Pavilion, will host games that feature a high “fun factor and a great gameplay experience” as judged by the people behind PAX.

The cost of entering your game to be considered is $50, and the lucky Indies selected to feature will receive:

A 3 x 3 meter booth in the PAX Aus Exhibition Hall, for you to demo your game. PAX can also provide you with a monitor and speakers (but not hardware or video adapters) for your display, provided that these are requested at least 30 days before the show.

To be eligible for consideration you must be an independent developer without a traditional publisher-developer relationship in place, you cannot be funded by an outside party, and the game must at least be in beta form. Just make sure you fit these requirements before submitting, because if you don’t the game will be automatically disqualified, with no refunds on the entry fee.

Other Booth Options

Take part in a PAX Aus Panel

We at Let’s Make Games recognise that the people of WA have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to gaming; knowledge no doubt worth sharing with our friends on the far side of the country. So if you have something on the subject of games that you would like to share with an eager audience, you will pleased to hear that submissions are now open for Panels and Speakers at PAX AUS 2014.

“You’ll be hard pressed to find a more passionate, engaged, and thoughtful audience than the tens of thousands of gamers from around the world that converge on PAX. This year we have over a hundred hours of theatre content to be filled.”

The deadline for panel submissions is August 8th, 2014, so if you’re interested in sharing your thoughts, you can sign up over on the PAX Panel page.

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Remember when playing a multiplayer game meant gathering around either an arcade cabinet or your friend’s TV, and excitedly yelling at one another as you battled it out? If you have (or want to develop) a video game that thrives on this social experience, the folks at SK Games are offering you the opportunity to share it with people across Australia.

Over the course of two months, SK Games plans to visit four cities across the country to set up their arcade and showcase Australian-made games for free. The crew have 8 arcade cabinets in total, ranging from projector-based displays to cocktail-table style designs; these machines all run from a mid-range windows PC, and they want to use them to show off your games! From the simple and fun to the artistic and extravagant, SK want to help take your social gaming experience on the road.

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The folks at SK Games may have only crashed onto the Perth scene recently, but they have certainly made an impact. The studio’s website is now officially up and running, providing not only updates on their latest Bar SK shenanigans, but also allowing you to download their Gun Dash game for free.

This weekend SK will be running their final backyard bar event before the rains begin. As per usual there will be a host of cool folks to chat with and a collection of cheap drinks to choose from. This time round they will also be launching their latest title ‘Bush Bash‘, a car game housed in the huge metal carcass of a real car.

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There’s a lot going on in the online world, so it can be difficult to keep your business and product up to date. X Media Lab aim to clear up the confusion and ensure you get the most out of the online world, with their upcoming “Video + Social” professional event.

“Video+Social” will be running on Friday March 28, and is set to feature practical hands-on masterclasses and thought-piece presentations from a host of international experts. The aim of the day is to teach you skills that can be applied to business, creative project, brand, or career immediately.

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Business Foundations has announced that they will once again be holding FREE business workshops to support local game developers. These seminars and workshops have been very successful in the past, so whether you are new to the game or an old pro, it is certainly worth checking out.

What: ’All you need to know about Business Planning’ + Half day practical WorkshopWhen: 1:30pm – 5pm - Tuesday, 20 May 2014Where: Northbridge Community Building, Northbridge Piazza (cnr Lake & James ST)Cost:FREE!RSVP: Places are limited, so make sure you register over at Eventbrite.

For more information on these events, contact Business Foundations by phone on (08) 9430 8569 or via email on admin@businessfoundations.com.au

To start the day off Perth games Freedom Fall, Square Off, Star Hammer 2 and 99 Problems (and blocks are all of them) were put to the test by our international guests, with much fun and constructive criticism to be had. It wasn’t long before another 50 local developers and game aficionados made their way in, eager to try their hand at the homemade titles before sitting down for some serious discussions.

The panels began with Dan Pinchbeck (Dear Esther), Steve Gaynor (Gone Home) and Guy Gadney (The Suspect) looking at the how and why of going Indie, then sharing their tips on successfully surviving as a small team. After a short cupcake break Clint Hocking (Far Cry 2) and Jill Murray (Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation) took to the stage to talk about their experience of entering into the AAA world and working for major studios. It is also worth noting that over the course of the day attendees posed some brilliant questions to the speakers, the answers to which caused both thoughtful nodding and intense note-taking.

You can check out photos from #CTRLDEV below, plus details on how you can provide Let’s Make Games with feedback on the event.

Steve plays Freedom Fall

Clint plays 99 Problems

Dan plays Star Hammer 2

Jill plays Square Off

Anthony opens #CTRLDEV!

Talking Indie

Everything AAA

Droves of Perth devs

A top-notch turn out

Feedback Survey

If you attended #CTRLDEV, we at LMG would love to hear about your experience of the day. Please check your emails for the Eventbrite feedback survey, and let us know what you liked (or didn’t like). Your feedback is appreciated and will help us organise bigger and better events in the future!

The Film and Television Institute of Western Australia, the organisation behind the WA Screen Awards, have recently appointed Dr. Kate Raynes-Goldie to the role of Director of Interactive Programs. This position is the first of its kind for a non-government, Australian screen resource association, and with Kate at the helm the FTI is reaching out to embrace the local games, interactive and app communities.

Kate brings a wealth of experience to the role, not only as a developer but as a champion for the potential of games and gaming. Kate is the co-founder of Atmosphere Industries, which specializes in experimental and pervasive games, and developed WA’s very first pervasive game, Ghost Town. She is also a Research Associate at Curtin University, and has spoken at a range of international industry and academic conferences, including SXSW Interactive and TEDxPerth.

We would like to congratulate Kate on her appointment to the role, and look forward to even more FTI and game developer interactions in the future!

Playup Perth #2!

The new top secret Atmosphere Industries game, set to debut at the Fresh Air 2014 festival in Melbourne (March 7-10, 2014). A fun game for players of all skill levels that will involve hilarity and teamwork. Plus, if you loved Star Trek: the Next Generation, you will love this game even more.

(Please bring an internet enabled smart phone, a pair of comfortable shoes and be prepared for some walking around town.)

For more information head on over to the main event page. If you would like to find out more about testing your game at the next Playup Perth, please email kate (at) fti.asn.au or tweet @oceanpark